1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates generally to manually operated, air-powered wild game callers used to attract waterfowl or game. In particular, the present invention relates to such wild game callers that create a whistling sound to attract waterfowl or animals. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to such callers that are used to mimic whistling-type ducks.
2. Background
Game calls are used by hunters, photographers and nature lovers to attract game or wildlife to the general vicinity near where the person using the call is located. Although there are many different types of game calls, they all generally have the same goal, which is to as realistically as possible mimic the sound of a particular animal or fowl. Some calls are designed to attract animals or fowl of the same type, such as those of the opposite gender. Other calls are intended to attract predators of the animal or fowl that the call is intended to mimic by leading the predator to believe that its natural prey is nearby. Naturally, if the call does not realistically mimic the sound made by the animal or fowl for which it is intended to simulate, then it will not be effective as a game call.
Game calls come in a variety of different types and configurations, often at least partially dictated by the sound required to mimic the particular animal or fowl for that game call. Generally, the three principal types of configurations for game calls consist of those made up of diaphragms, reeds or whistles. Diaphragm-type game calls typically utilize a vibratable rubber or rubber-like diaphragm stretched partially over an air passage opening such that the diaphragm vibrates upon the introduction of air into the air passage. An example of such a game call is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,198 to Repko. As noted by the inventor in that patent, diaphragm-type game calls are generally very difficult to effectively master in order to achieve the desired pitch, tone and modulation of a wildlife call.
The reed-type game calls, the most common type of game call, generally comprise a vibratory reed disposed inside an air passage or chamber. Air blown into the mouthpiece of this type of game call causes the reed to vibrate at a certain tone or pitch, creating a sound that is emitted from the outlet portion of the call. Some of the prior art reed-type game calls have multiple reeds and/or air passages that can be selectively opened or closed to simulate a variety of animal or fowl sounds. Others are suitable for producing the desired sound by utilizing a or closed to simulate a variety of animal or fowl sounds. Others are suitable for producing the desired sound by utilizing a sucking action at the mouthpiece. With regard to waterfowl, such as wild ducks, the reed-type game calls generally simulate the quacking sound emitted by ducks (typically the quacking sound is made by the female or hen duck). Examples of the reed-type of call are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,127 to Colyer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,903 to Knight, U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,270 to Morton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,678 to Robertson, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,513 to Faulk.
Whistle-type game calls are generally configured to simulate the whistling sound made by certain waterfowl, such as certain species of ducks. For instance, the Mallard drake (male) duck, as opposed to the Mallard hen (female), emits a buzz or hissing sound that is difficult to simulate with a reed or diaphragm-type game call. For other species of ducks, such as the Wood Duck, Pintail, American Widgeon and Greenwinged Teal, both the drake and hen make the whistling sound. Conventional whistles, such as safety and play whistles that utilize one or more balls or peas (typically made of cork, plastic or light weight metal) in a resonant chamber, do not adequately simulate the duck sound and, as such, are not suitable for use as game calls. U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,126 to Carlson and U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,649 to Robertson disclose game calls designed to be suitable for emulating the whistling sound made by the whistling ducks. produce different frequency and volume sounds. By the inventor""s own description, the whistle of the Carlson patent requires proper technique to obtain the desired whistling duck sounds. The Robertson patent describes a duck call that has a resonant chamber around the sounding body and aligned vents to produce the whistling duck sound.
The typical whistle-type call suffers from several well known and inevitable problems. One problem particularly inherent with the ball-type of whistle is the accumulation of saliva and dirt in the resonant chamber and around the ball which can cause the ball to stick to the interior of the chamber. This results in loss of the vibrato effect or a undesirable reduction in the volume of sound emitted by the whistle. The reed-type whistles require the user to be able to flutter his or her tongue against the mouthpiece in order to modulate the air inflow through the whistle to produce the desired vibratory sound. What is needed, is a duck call that is easy to make and use which is capable of producing whistling sounds that closely emulate the sounds made by whistling type ducks.
The whistle-type duck call of the present invention solves the problems identified above. That is to say, the present invention provides a duck call that is relatively simple to use, inexpensive to manufacture and capable of producing sounds that closely simulate those made by certain whistling ducks. Specifically, the present invention discloses a duck whistle that does not require special skills, extensive effort or practice in order to effectively emulate the whistling sounds made by certain ducks.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the duck call primarily comprises five main components: a main body, mouthpiece, a pair of side members and a tubular roller. The main body has a central sound chamber disposed between its ends. The mouthpiece connects to the open first end of the main body. A first air vent is located on the top side of the main body and is in fluid communication with the central sound chamber therein. Each side of the main body has an opening for tightly receiving one of the pair of side members, which in the preferred embodiment are truncated cylinders. The mouthpiece has a mouth portion for placement of the user""s mouth on or against and a neck portion for tight insertion into the opening at one end of the main body. An air passage connects the open end of the mouth portion with a second air vent on the top side of the neck portion. The second air vent has a rearward edge located near the closed second end of the mouthpiece that forms a narrow slot at the interface with the forward edge of the first air vent. When attached to the main body, the air chambers of the side members form a resonant chamber with the central sound chamber of the main body. The tubular roller is disposed within the resonant chamber and is allowed to freely rotate therein in response to air passing through the slot. One or more apertures suitable for closure with the pad of the user""s finger are in the closed second end of the side members to allow air to selectively flow out the resonant chamber. The tubular roller can be made plastic or other generally lightweight materials.
Preferably, the duck call of the present invention is made of separatable components that are frictionally connected together so the call can be disassembled for cleaning. In the alternative, the whistle can be made as a single integral unit or the components can be fixedly connected together. The duck call can be made out of various materials that provide a corrosion resistant, lightweight and sturdy call for use in the field. In use, the whistle is held in the hand and air is blown into the mouth portion of the mouthpiece. The air flows through the air passage and out the second air vent of the mouthpiece past the slot. The narrowness of the slot creates a whistle sound. After the air passes through the slot, it enters the resonant chamber and causes the roller to roll inside the resonant chamber. The rolling action of the roller creates the desired vibrato effect to emulate the sound made by whistling-type ducks without having to flutter the tongue. Different duck sounds can be emulated by covering one or more of the apertures at the second end of the side members.
Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a duck call that effectively emulates the sound made by whistling ducks.
It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a duck call for whistling-type ducks that is easy to use without requiring difficult techniques or fluttering of the user""s tongue to produce the whistle sound.
It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a duck call that has a mouthpiece component connected to the main body for producing a whistling sound and for passing the whistling air into a resonant chamber in the body of the whistle with a tubular roller disposed in the chamber for producing the desired vibrato effect.
It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a whistle-type duck call having a pair of side members with closeable apertures for selectively producing a variety of whistling duck sounds.
Yet another important objective of the present invention is to provide a whistle-type duck call that is relatively simple to make and suitable for disassembly and reassembly in order clean the duck call.
The above and other objectives of the present invention will be explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and the description of the preferred embodiment which follows. As set forth herein, the present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, mode of operation and combination of parts presently described and understood by the claims.